How far can a riptide take you?

Generally speaking, a riptide is less than 100 ft. wide, so swimming beyond it should not be too difficult. If you cannot swim out of the riptide, float on your back and allow the riptide to take you away from shore until you are beyond the pull of the current. Rip currents generally subside 50 to 100 yards from shore.

Do rip currents pull you underwater?

A rip current won’t pull you underwater. It’ll just pull you away from shore. If you feel that you’re able to swim, do so parallel to the shore until you’re out of the current and then swim back to shore at an angle. If you feel that you can’t swim, tread or back float, try to wave and yell for help while floating.

Can you survive a rip current?

The best way to survive a rip current is to stay afloat and yell for help. You can also swim parallel to the shore to escape the rip current. Rip currents stay close to shore and usually break up just beyond the line of breaking waves. Occasionally, however, a rip current can push someone hundreds of yards offshore.

Can currents drag you under?

Myth: Rip currents pull you under water. Rip currents are surface currents, not undertows. An undertow is a short-lived, sub-surface surge of water associated with wave action. It can drag you down, but it’s not truly treacherous because you won’t be held under for long.

How fast do rip currents move?

1 to 2 feet per second
Rip currents typically reach speeds of 1 to 2 feet per second. However, some rip currents have been measured at 8 feet per second—faster than any Olympic swimmer ever recorded (NOAA, 2005b). If wave activity is slight, several low rip currents can form, in various sizes and velocities.

Are riptide and undertow the same?

Undertow occurs along the entire beach face during times of large breaking waves, whereas rip currents are periodical at distinct locations. Riptides occur at inlets every day.